Flowers
by thecosmicwind
Summary: They were apart for 8 years - but through their time apart, the flowers kept them connected, even if she didn't realize. Cute little EO one-shot. Rated T.


**Hey guys.**

 **I'm back with a new one shot. This idea randomly came to me earlier, and so I decided to write it down. Despite being gone, Elliot has kept tabs on Olivia and decides to use her favorite flowers to connect with her over the course of a few years. The years of flowers lead up to the current day moment in the squad room - a moment they had both been waiting for.**

 **Enjoy xoxo**

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 **Flowers [ONESHOT]**

It was shortly after her ordeal with William Lewis that she got the first arrangement...

Two dozen flowers, a mixture of yellow tulips and pink roses. Her two favorite flowers, two favorite colors. She was worried at first when the flowers were left outside of the apartment she then shared with Brian Cassidy; she was worried that Lewis had somehow tracked down where she lived and had left them there to taunt her. However, when she grabbed hold of the note, confusion replaced the fear as she read the words;

' _You survived the abuse, and now you're going to survive the recovery. I've always believed in you, and I'll never stop. SF'_

She knew then that these flowers weren't from someone who was taunting her, but from someone who cared. The quote sounded so eerily familiar, and that wasn't just due to the fact that she had used it before. No; this was something else but a strong part of her refused to allow herself to believe it. The 'SF' also confused her, and she spent half the night trying to figure out what that meant. Even when Brian came home from work, he was confused by it but told her not to worry, that clearly someone who cared had sent these to her and that everything was alright.

That was the first time.

The second arrangement was delivered the night following the ceremony during which she was promoted to Sergeant. She had only just come home and changed out of her work clothes, when there was a knock the door. She opened the door and was given a shock when the delivery man presented her with the same arrangement yet again - two dozen flowers; a mixture of yellow tulips and pink roses. He told her that her boyfriend must love her, to which she scoffed and smirked as she sighed for them. She took them into her arms and shut the door, then looked at the note.

' _Sergeant Benson, damn that sounds great! I knew you could make it. I'm so proud of you, Olivia. I always knew you would do great things like this. Keep surviving and thriving, kid. I'll always believe in you. SF._ '

There was that damn 'SF' again, and once again she was confused. What did that mean? She didn't know anyone with those initials and couldn't seem to figure out why whoever this was had ended yet another note with those letters. She told her squad about it and Fin joked that maybe it stood for 'secret friend', to which they all laughed together before getting to work. Olivia didn't feel threatened or anything; this person was obvious sincere and had even gone as far as to send her favorite flowers and praise her. She was just curious.

Then, there was a third time.

The third arrangement was delivered shortly after she was appointed as foster mother to baby Noah. It was literally the day after she had brought him home when there was a knock at her apartment door. With her brow furrowed in confusion, she signed for the two dozen flowers; a mixture of yellow tulips and pink roses. Once she closed the door, she put the flowers on her counter and read the note.

' _I always knew you would make a great mom. You deserve this so much Olivia. Be the best mother to that little boy that you can be - you've always had it in you. SF.'_

"What the fuck does SF even mean?" She muttered to herself. Part of her was thinking that maybe it was 'secret friend', but then she giggled to herself when she realized how silly that sounded. She was confused though. Whoever this was knew about Noah, and that made her even more curious, and a little more cautious considering the chaos surrounding the little boy following the death of his mother. She was confused of course, yet a sense of peace had surrounded her. Somebody was looking out for her, and they believed in her.

And then there was four.

The fourth arrangement came months later, about three days after Noah's adoption was finalized. She and Noah had just come back home from running errands when they met the familiar delivery man, who was headed towards the elevator. He joked and said that she clearly had a secret admirer that kept sending her those same flowers with a note, but she was serious when she asked who ordered the flowers to be delivered to her. He shrugged and explained that the order always came by phone. Part of Olivia wanted to investigate, but this wasn't really police business, so she didn't bother. She simply smiled and thanked him before walking back down the hall to their apartment. The same arrangement was sitting outside her door; two dozen flowers, a mixture of yellow tulips and pink roses. She unlocked the door, then scooped up the flowers with one arm and made her way inside. She kicked the door shut with her foot and put Noah down into his play pen, then put the flowers on the counter. She rummaged through the soft flowers and pulled out the small slip of paper, her eyes scanning the words, reading quietly;

' _Congratulations on the adoption! It's official now, he's a Benson. I knew you had it in you; they were wrong to turn you down all those years ago. I hope you are happy Olivia; you deserve this so much. SF'_

The words stopped her in her tracks. Her heart pounded a little more. This person knew about her being turned down for adoption all those years ago - only one person knew about that. She shook her head; she wouldn't allow herself to believe it was him. She wouldn't get her hopes up. But whoever this was, they genuinely cared about her clearly. Maybe it was someone else and she just couldn't remember who this time. Hell, maybe it was Langan; playing secret admirer. But then again, Langan wouldn't do this - he'd just outright say something.

Four turned into five.

The fifth arrangement was after she was promoted to Lieutenant, some months later. She was at work this time, and one of the security guards from the front desk brought them up to her office. It was the same arrangement - two dozen flowers, a mixture of yellow tulips and pink roses. She knew her squad was watching intently and wondering, and Amanda jokingly asked if she had a boyfriend that they needed to run a background on. She scoffed and chuckled, waving them off as she put the flowers onto the desk and rummaged through them. She pulled out the note and took a deep breath before reading;

' _Lieutenant Olivia Benson - wow. You really made it to the top. You've always been one of the best cops around and now you're the boss of the elite squad. Words cannot express how proud I am of you. You've done a damn good job. SF'_

She wracked her brain, still trying to think about what SF meant. It had to mean something. Every time this person sent her flowers and note, they signed off with this. She was still refusing to believe that it was who she was thinking of, even though her mind was screaming at her. Though the times the flowers were sent were quite spaced out, she kept every single note in a box in her bedroom. She read them regularly, still wondering. Whoever this was had a real soft spot and knew her - knew her favorite flowers, knew about her ordeals and promotions and accomplishments. Whoever this was knew her.

Then they stopped. She didn't expect to be sad when the deliveries stopped, but she was. She wondered what happened to her admirer, and where he or she had gone and why the flowers had stopped. The seasons turned, the thoughts of who it could be faded away. The cases continued, her son continued to grow, and she continued to be the boss of her elite squad. She stopped reading the notes trying to figure out who it could be, and she stopped wondering.

Then, the sixth and final time came along - today.

Her phone rang as she and Carisi were getting out of the squad car. She answered as they crossed the parking lot;

"Lieutenant Benson."

And she stopped in her tracks, which drew attention from her detective. He asked if she was alright; "Lieu, you okay?"

But she didn't hear him. All she could hear was the voice that was speaking in her ear, a voice that she hadn't heard in eight years, yet one that still sent her heart racing;

" _Twenty years ago today, you started working here and we met. There's a lot to explain, I never meant to hurt you and I wanted to say goodbye, but I couldn't. I'll explain it to you, I promise; I just want you to know that I'm back now and I just want my friend back - oh, and your office looks nice. Semper Fi, Liv."_

Sonny was still watching her intently, and she looked up at him with watery eyes before speaking down the phone;

"Stay right there; I'm on my way up."

She practically shot past Sonny and bolted into the building, though he was hot behind her. The two took the stairs up to their floor and practically burst into the squad room. She immediately caught sight of the smirk on Fin's face and the teary eyes and smile of Amanda, and the tears were running down her face as she approached them.

"Is it really him?" She asked.

"Go look and see, baby girl." Fin replied. Olivia nodded and rushed into her office, slowing her pace as she saw the tall figure stood in her office with his back to the door, staring out the window. She swallowed hard and took a deep breath before speaking;

"You're a sneaky son of a bitch, you know that?"

And he turned, and she saw those cobalt blue eyes and the handsome smile. He was dressed in a grey t-shirt and dark blue jeans with sneakers, and a black leather jacket, and had black rimmed glasses over his eyes. His hair was a mixture of grey and black, his face was no longer clear and smooth again and instead held a shaved grey beard. His body still looked just as strong and muscular, and the only thing that seemed to be different was the signs of grey and a few wrinkles on his face, and the glasses he seemed to need as well.

But other than that, there he was. And now she knew that her suspicions had been right, because who else had known about her adoption struggle from the past, or her favorite flowers, or those words from the first set of flowers all those years ago. And now, the SF made perfect sense. _Semper Fi_.

Only one person had ever said those words to her...

"Do I at least get a hug or did eight years in witsec rob me of that opportunity?"

She ran into him, throwing her arms around him straight away and breathing in the scent of his aftershave that immediately gave her some comfort; "Elliot - oh my God; I don't know whether to punch you or just hug you."

"Please don't punch me, your punches can bring a grown man to tears and I don't want to cry in front of you so...no." he chuckled as he held her. He then kissed the top of her head, squeezing her tightly. She squeezed him back, before finally letting go.

Her squad was watching them, with sweet smiles on their faces. Even Sonny was smiling at the sweet moment, because in the four years he'd been working for this unit, he had never seen his lieutenant smile this much.

Olivia held onto Elliot's arms, looking up at him as he leaned in and kissed her forehead. She slipped her arms around him again and hugged him tightly, while he rubbed her back and planted another kiss onto her forehead again.

"Did you like the flowers?" He quietly asked. She giggled, nodding her head as she eyed the two dozen flowers on her desk; the mixture of yellow tulips and pink roses.

"I've liked all the flowers you've sneakily sent me over the years," she looked up at him; "You been keeping tabs on me, I see? How did you even manage to do that?"

"I have spies everywhere, but really - you know we've got friends that are Feds; they kept the tabs on you for me just to make sure you were okay, and I twisted some arms so I could at least send the flowers," he explained, pulling away so that he could look at her; "I'm just sorry I wasn't here to protect you from that-"

"Don't, he's gone – way back in the past now," she stroked her hands up and down his biceps; "You're here now, and that's what matters."

"And I won't leave you again, I promise," he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear; "And I'm proud of you – for finally becoming s mother and having so many amazing accomplishments and for becoming the boss. You're amazing, don't forget that."

She gave him a smile and settled into his arms yet again, not at all wanting to let him go. They had a lot to talk about of course, but that could wait. Right now, all that mattered was that they were reunited yet again, back together where they belonged - the dynamic duo, the two best friends.

And like the flowers on her desk, her heart was full of color and happiness - yet again.

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 ** _Hey guys. Soo...let me know what you guys think. I hope you enjoyed. Until next time...xoxo_**


End file.
